Star of Bethlehem, - Ornithogalum arabicum

Ornithogalum arabicum, also called Arabian Starflower or Star of Bethlehem, grows clusters of white flowers with a black center. This species thrives in sunny locations with well-drained soil, making them low-maintenance and suitable for container gardening..
Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum arabicum) is a winter bulb belonging to the Lily family, and blooms in late spring or early summer. It is native to the Mediterranean region and is similar to wild garlic. Its foliage has arching leaves but does not have the garlic odor when crushed. Star of Bethlehem flowers, though attractive for a few weeks when in bloom, have escaped cultivation in many areas. When this happens, they quickly become a danger to native plant life.

Growing Star of Bethlehem If you decide to plant Star of Bethlehem flower bulbs in your landscape, do it in fall. The plant is hardy in USDA Zone 3 with mulch and grows in Zones 4 to 8 without mulch. Plant Star of Bethlehem flower bulbs in a full to mostly sunny area of the landscape. This plant can take 25 percent shade, but grows best in full sun location. Star of Bethlehem flower bulbs should be planted about 2 inches (5 cm.) apart and at a depth of 5 inches (13 cm.) to the base of the bulb. To ward off invasive tendencies, plant in a buried container or an area that is lined and edged so that bulbs can only spread so far.